Tales from Dargo Island: The Complete Trilogy (22 page)

Everything that
happened next was difficult to talk about. Estevan and I returned to the
mainland and told Josh’s parents what happened. There were many tears and
denials about his death (“He can’t die!” his mom screamed), but they came back
with us to the island. They had been so traumatized by the news they didn’t
even care about the large waterfall that separated Dargo Island from their
world. None of the strange sights seemed to register.

They met
Aneela, who apologized for what had happened to their son, but told them he
died a hero. They allowed us to bury Josh on the island, though I doubt they
would have if Estevan hadn’t explained everything to them. He and Josh had been
friends since childhood; they trusted him.

Josh was buried
in a large, elaborate tomb built just for him. It stood on a large hill in the
center of the island.

We found
Dargo’s new bird, which hadn’t been injected with the plague, and destroyed it.

Aneela was as
good as her word about Andor. Once the islanders were brought back from Dad’s
realm, the reinstated queen locked Andor away in the palace dungeon “until I
decide to release him.” She did this in front of every Dargon, in the palace
courtyard, to send a message to anyone who ever decided to go against her rule.

“If we ever
face a threat as great as this,” she said, “or any threat, for that matter, we
will face it together.”

The crowd
cheered.

“And let’s get
rid of this silly paint,” she added. “We
can
talk now, after all.”

Aneela and
Commander Rhys eventually admitted their love for one another, got married, and
produced an heir. A boy named Joshua.

During the day,
I spent most of my time in Dad’s realm to avoid the old-lady curse. He
continued to train me, but my heart was rarely into it. I mostly produced
depressing storms. After a while, he left me alone to do whatever I wanted with
nature. “As long as no one gets hurt,” he said, before going into his
cloud-palace.

I created a
couple of tornadoes in empty fields and flew around a bit before landing on a
large, mountainous cloud. I wouldn’t have thought twice about this cloud if I
hadn’t heard someone call my name from it.

After landing,
I searched but found no one around. Who could have possibly called me from a
cloud anyway? I was about to fly away when I heard my name again. This time,
the voice had come from the top of the cloud. I flew to the peak, where I saw
the silhouette of a figure. It looked like a boy made out of the cloud itself.
I couldn’t see the face at first, but once I flew closer, I recognized it
immediately.

“Josh?”

“About time you
heard me,” he said. “I’ve been calling you from different clouds for days. I
can’t get out, though.”

I was still in
shock, but I grabbed his hand and managed to pull him out of the cloud. He
looked like flesh and blood, the way he had when he was alive.

“What am I?” he
asked.

“I think you’re
a nature demon now. It must be because of the energy Dad used for the curse. He
said he didn’t know what would happen to you if you died.” I couldn’t help it.
I cried.

“I guess we
know now.”

I laughed. “I
guess we do.”

He looked down
at himself. He was completely naked. “Now what? I don’t know anything about
being a nature demon.”

I hugged him
and said, “I’ll teach you.”

When I wrote
Dargo
Island
, I’d planned on it being a standalone novella. A few days after
publishing it, I came up with an idea for the follow-up. I wrote it in two
weeks and loved it every bit as much as the first. I would say I’m finished
now, but I like this world so much, I just may write another one. I have ideas
for a third novella, but will leave it to the readers.

Seemingly
surrounded by stars, Rapatha walked up the steep cobbled path, past the dark
shops on either side. The road was so steep her legs barely managed to get her
to the top. When she got there, she saw a maze of paths before her. The town of
Lacey was full of magical creatures, and Rapatha worried what she might run
into.

She was just as
worried about what she planned to meet. She’d traveled here to speak with a man
that could help her, though she didn’t know how anyone could help her with her
problem. Hiding from nature demons
and
a wizard sounded impossible.

Pulling her
hood and cloak close, she headed down the path and chose an alley to the right.
She hoped the tree she’d spoken to had told her true. Rapatha had come across
it while running through a forest. She had been running away from the wizard
and managed to lose him, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before he found her
again.

When she came
across the tree, she feared it would hurt her, but it simply asked her what was
wrong. It stood eight feet tall and blended in with the forest. Rapatha had
never seen anything like it before, and marveled at the strange beauty of it.
She sat with it, at its camp, and feasted on deer. It was the first solid meal
she’d ever had, and she found it quite enjoyable.

After the meal,
the tree again asked what was wrong. Rapatha told it some of her story, and the
creature scratched its gnarled chin, as if deep in thought.

Then it told
her of Lacey.

It was the last
haven for magical creatures like itself, one safe from the world of man.

“Are there any
wizards there?” she asked.

“None. The only
wizards I know of are the brothers.” The tree’s voice was so soothing, it
nearly lulled Rapatha to sleep after the meal.

“The brothers?
You mean Rockne and Nalke?”

“Are there any
other wizards?” the tree asked as it chuckled.

“Their father.”

“But he is a
nature demon now, is he not?”

Rapatha nodded.
“There is another, however. His name is Dargonius.”

“Dargonius?”

Rapatha
clutched the necklace beneath her cloak, its green gem glowing. “He is a kind
wizard…at times.” She couldn’t help but smile.

“I would hope
so. We need a wizard on our side. Who else could protect us from the nature
demons?”

Rapatha gave
him a sharp look. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“The nature
demons are toying with the natural world for their amusement. They cause the ground
to shake, the waters to rise. They abuse their power and must be stopped.”

Rapatha shook
her head. “The old demons weren’t evil. They were irresponsible, but they never
meant to hurt anyone.”

The tree
laughed. “You sound fond of them.”

She regained control
of her words. “Not at all. In fact, I’m running away from them.”

“Are you, now?”
The tree leaned back, studying her. “Why are they after you?”

“I can’t tell
you.” She clutched the green gem tighter.

“Your secrets
are your own, child, but you won’t find much sanctuary in these old woods.
Lacey is your best chance.”

“I can hide
there?”

“No, but you
can find someone who can hide you. There lives an old man who once helped me. I
was running away from something that wanted to kill me, something that is good
at finding what it wants. There was only one way to hide.”

“What would
want to kill you?” Rapatha asked, genuinely curious. “You seem so kind.”

“Well, I speak
not the correct words for my situation. The ones after me didn’t want to kill
me in the true sense, but rather kill my spirit. I am running away from my
family.”

Rapatha gasped.
“I understand. I, too, am running away from my family.”

“I thought you
were running away from a wizard.”

“Him, too.”

“Then I suggest
you visit the one I spoke of, in Lacey. He will help you. The town is not far
from here.”

The tree gave
her directions, and now she was there. Before she’d left the camp, she turned
to her new friend and said, “Are there many talking trees in Lacey?”

The tree
laughed and said, “I was not always a tree.” Then he wandered deep into the
woods without another word.

Walking through
Lacey wasn’t like Rapatha expected. The whole town was damp and smelly, as if
it rained often. She passed two giants, having to step aside to let them pass.
They were the skinniest giants she’d ever seen, with the palest skin. A smaller
giant struggled behind its fellows. It gave Rapatha a grin as it walked by.

As soon as it
passed, a dark blur clouded her vision. She smelled rancid meat and felt very
cold. The blur headed toward the giant, engulfing it. The large creature
dropped to the ground, moaning in pain.

Rapatha stood
there for a moment, frightened by what she saw. She didn’t know what the
monster was that attacked the giant, but she didn’t like it one bit. “Get away
from him!” she yelled at the creature.

The monster,
which looked like a hideous ape with wings, looked over its shoulder at her. It
smiled, blood coating most of its face. The other giants had rounded a corner
and didn’t know what was happening.

“I said, get
away from him!”

Rapatha removed
her necklace. A sudden wind howled through the alley, striking the monster. It
struck one wall, and then another, as if the wind was alive and malicious,
eager to cause as much pain as possible. The bloodsucker fell to the cobbled
stones and hissed at Rapatha, drawing the other giants back into the alley. The
vampire fled into the air. Rapatha put the necklace back on and replaced the
hood over her reddish-brown hair.

The little
giant smiled at her again, this time in appreciation, as its fellows carried it
away. Rapatha turned and continued on her way. After a moment she reached a
lonely little shop nestled between two bigger ones. The sign overhead was a
faded yellow that read “The Narrow Shoppe.” This was the place the tree told
her about, so she took a breath and walked inside.

The shop was,
indeed, narrow. There was barely enough room for two people to stand
side-by-side, considering there were shelves lining both walls. They were
littered with cloths and scrolls, herbs and dolls. The place was crowded but
cozy.

“Welcome to The
Narrow Shoppe in the Land of Constant Starlight, may I help you?” a voice asked
from the other end of the shop, startling Rapatha.

She saw a
silhouette behind a counter. She slowly walked toward it, trying not to grab
her necklace again; the tree had told her about the owner’s greediness. She
made sure to keep it covered with her cloak as she approached the figure. His
features became more pronounced: His skin was pale, his hair short, blond and styled
into spikes by some kind of grease. His eyebrows were very thin.

And then there
were his eyes, which were the color of limes.

“I was told you
could help me,” she said.

“Well, that
depends,” the man replied in a silky voice. “What do you need help with?”

“I need to
hide.”

“Oh, well that
sounds familiar. Did you happen to speak with a tree?”

“Yes.” She
laughed lightly, looking around the tiny shop. “Though, I can’t imagine a tree
walking in here.”

“He wasn’t
always a tree, darling.”

“He told me
that. What was he?”

“Let’s just say
he wasn’t always a tree. I don’t like to tell my clients’ business, if you
understand. He’s well hidden from his pursuers, however.”

“I wish to be
similarly hidden,” Rapatha said quickly, excited by the thought of escaping her
own pursuer.

“Of course, my
dear. First, you must tell me why you want to hide.”

The tree hadn’t
told her this part, and she hoped she wasn’t being taken advantage of. She
sighed and said, “I wish to hide from my family.”

“And?”

“And a wizard.”

The man raised
a thin eyebrow. “Interesting. There aren’t many wizards left. Which one do you
wish to hide from?”

“Rockne.”

The owner
clapped his pale hands to his face. “He’s the nasty one. We all wish to hide
from that one. I believe I can help…for the right price.”

“What do you
want?” she asked.

“What do you
have?”

“I have gold.”

The man shook
his head. “I have no need for gold.” He casually looked over his shoulder, and
Rapatha noticed a shelf of jars filled with golden mist. He looked back to her
quickly, as if angry he’d drawn her attention to the jars. “My price is
something that can’t be measured, something very precious to each customer.”

Rapatha reached
for the necklace, she couldn’t help it.

The owner
laughed. “It’s nothing that can be worn, either, I assure you. It’s your
essence.”

“My what?”

“Your essence.
That’s what I call your life force.”

Rapatha had no
idea what he was talking about, but it didn’t sound good. “How do I give that
to you?”

The owner
laughed. “With a kiss, of course.”

“You want me to
kiss you?”

“Well, I don’t
want
you to kiss me, but that’s the way the transaction works.”

“How much of my
‘essence’ do you take?”

“Just a taste.
You won’t even notice it’s gone.”

Rapatha thought
about her situation, about the life she wanted to escape. Giving away a small
dose of her life force sounded like a decent trade, as long as it didn’t hurt
her.

“All right,”
she said. “I’ll do it.”

Rapatha’s skin
tingled. She recognized that feeling and knew it was bad. The shop’s door
opened behind her. She leapt behind a rack of coats on one side of the narrow
shop. She couldn’t see who’d entered, but she knew who it was.

“Hello,” a
voice said.

“Welcome,” the
owner replied. “How may I help you this constant evening?”

The figure was
still out of view, but Rapatha knew who it was. Only one person made her feel
this way.

“I’m looking
for someone. I was told she was in this…
beautiful
town of yours.”

“What does she
look like? Perhaps I’ve seen her.”

The man took a
step closer, and Rapatha managed to see his chest. He was wearing a dark-blue
jacket, the buttons an even darker shade. “She’s very beautiful,” he replied.
“I’ve seen the women of this town; I’m sure you would remember
this
one.”

The owner
laughed. “I’ll overlook the slight to my cherished home because you happen to
be correct. However, I can’t say I’ve met any beautiful women as of late.”

There was a
long silence, and Rapatha realized she was holding her breath. She let it go
slowly and took another, breathing in the musty coats behind which she hid.

“What’s your name,
friend?” the visitor asked.

“Wesonger.
Yours?”

“Rockne.”

“Pleasure to
meet you, Rockne. You wouldn’t happen to be
the
Rockne, of the wizardly
brothers?”

A short pause.
“Why, yes, I am.”

“And would your
brother, Nalke, happen to be here as well?”

“No. I am
alone.”

“Who is this
woman to you?” Wesonger asked. “The one you seek.”

Rockne laughed.
“She’s a friend.”

“Oh, come now!”
Wesonger sounded delightedly doubtful. “No one comes to Lacey to search for
just a friend. She must be more to you. A lover, perhaps?”

Rockne stepped
closer. Rapatha could see his face now. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes
heavily lidded. His long brown hair was slicked back. She used to find him
handsome, but now…

“She’s not my
lover,” he told Wesonger. “Are you sure you haven’t seen her? It’s important
that I find her.”

“Why so?”

“You ask a lot
of questions for someone who knows nothing of what I seek.”

Rockne grabbed
Wesonger by the neck and pulled him closer. The action had been so fast Rapatha
felt she would’ve missed it entirely had she blinked.

“I’ll give you
one last chance to tell me the truth,” Rockne whispered. “Have you seen my
friend?”

Rapatha held
back a gasp when she noticed the shop owner’s nose bleeding. He looked
frightened.

“I swear I have
not seen her,” he said hoarsely through Rockne’s grip.

Rockne held him
a few seconds longer, and then let him go. “Thank you for your time, incubus.”
He turned and left.

Rapatha waited
a moment before retreating from her hiding place. “I apologize for him. Now you
see why I wish to hide.”

Wesonger wiped
the blood from his nose. “Indeed. I can help you. In exchange for that kiss, of
course.”

Rapatha looked
at the jars again. “Rockne called you an incubus?”

“Yes. I’ve been
alive for longer than you can possibly imagine and plan to keep being so.”

Rapatha reached
for her necklace again before catching herself. “I can imagine, actually. Have
you done anything important with your long life?”

“Are you
prepared to pay the price or not?” Wesonger asked with a bit of impatience,
ignoring her question.

“Yes. I am.”

“Then kiss me.”

Rapatha stepped
closer and leaned on the counter. She closed her eyes and got closer. She could
smell tobacco on his breath, and it wasn’t unpleasant. She reached out with her
lips.

A moment later,
her lips met his.

And then she
found herself breathless. It surely wasn’t because she enjoyed the kiss. She
felt her life force being drawn out of her, causing her to grow dizzier by the
second. She tried to pull away but Wesonger held on to her shoulders.

Rapatha reached
up to his face and scratched his cheek. He finally let her go. When she opened
her eyes, the dim light made her head hurt. She felt close to vomiting.
Wesonger reached for an empty jar and deposited her force into it.